Screwpiles: The Forgotten Lighthouses

Sir: I have a letter from the 2 nd asst. Cape Henry Va. Asking me to exchange Stations with him. This Exchange is OK with the Keeper Cape Henry. I am a fine man by trade and under stands Machinery very well if this is OK with you would like to make the exchange note lter thn the 15 th of May. Very Resp your obedient Servant. E.W. Parham Assist. Keeper (HM – Wrote Keeper of Cape henry, May 1…Inquire at Cape Henry if the Asst. requests change, & get …… On Catching a Mess of Oysters The property upon which the screwpile lighthouses sat was property of the United States, as it was ceded by the Virginia governor in the 1850s. The oyster inspectors in Virginia seem to have challenged the lighthouse keepers about “taking oysters” off grounds surrounding the lighthouses. Excerpts from letters to the lighthouse inspector from December 30, 1912, through January 1913 help tell the tale.

some who have gone on the reservation at night and I had to drive them off, as I have protected them (the oysters) and there are a good lot of oysters and these parties are very anxious to get them.” He continues to make the case that the keepers’ salaries are small, and that getting oysters could benefit greatly in supporting their families. “The oysters around this reservation grow so thick and sharp that they are likely sometimes to cut the paint off the bottoms of the boats going out and off at low tide.”

White Shoal Station Keeper: W.H. Simonson

In reply to your letter of January 2 in regards to taking oysters a round the light House I ment to say it is a very few i take only e nough for my own use as to the oyster law the oyster inspecter has been on the light house very often and has never required lisnese of me and I shure don’t want violate the State law if I know it. Very respectfully, W H Simonson Keeper

Deep Water Shoals Station Alex. Hurst Keeper Light House Inspector Baltimore Md

Harry Palmer, Cape May Lighthouse, New Jersey

Point of Shoals Station Keeper: Thomas H. Curtis

Sir. Your letter of Jan 2/1913 Recd on this above date and will say in reply that we catch a mess of Oysters to eat when ever we want them. Also we comply with the Game and Fisheries Laws of Va according to the Regulations.

Mr. Buland: Light House Inspector

Your letter in regards to taking oysters around the Light-House and about the game and fisheries laws of this State to hand and I would say in reply that I have not violated the laws in the least. So far as the taking of oysters from the reservation. I thought that was a privilege the keepers had. During the whole time that the reservation has been protected by me I have taken a very few oysters from it. They have grown so thick upon the reservations that I have taken some but what I caught were culled clean, and would in no way disturb the permanent foundation of the reservation… Curtis’s letter was five pages long and said that “if it had not been for me keeping off trespassers the entire foundation would have been gone.” He continued, “I suppose some one has informed you that I had been taking the oysters. There is an element around this place that has been trying to give me trouble for years. There are

Respectfully Alex P. Hurst Keeper

The Commission of Fisheries requested a copy of the plat of ground reserved by the U.S. Lighthouse Board in the James River around the following three lighthouses: White Shoal, Point of Shoals, and Deep Water Shoals. The U.S. Lighthouse Board sent the plats and tracings of all three reservations. The problem was resolved and the keepers were allowed to take (harvest) oysters on the “reservations.” 14

114